(PIERRE, S.D.)–The contractor removing livestock carcasses from state highway rights-of-way says they will complete those operations by the end of today (Wednesday.) The state contracted with Dakota Rendering, Inc., of Freeman, S.D., to remove carcasses after the blizzard that struck western South Dakota on October 4th dumped record amounts of snow in some areas and resulted in the deaths of thousands of cattle and other livestock.

Several of the 15 storm-impacted counties have also been working to remove carcasses from their road rights-of-way, and individual producers are dealing with the task of handling the carcasses found on private property.

For producers still dealing with the process of removing carcasses from their property, the South Dakota Animal Industry Board and the South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources have prepared guidelines on how to properly dispose of dead livestock. A copy of those guidelines may be accessed at www.aib.sd.gov.

On Monday, Oct. 28, teams of local, state and FEMA officials will begin assessing storm damage to public infrastructure and property of private, non-profit entities, such as rural electric cooperatives in the 15-county area.

Gov. Dennis Daugaard will use that information to prepare a request for President Obama in regards to a disaster declaration. If a declaration is granted, the federal government would reimburse up to 75 percent of the cost of damage to public property.

Counties included in the preliminary damage assessments are Butte, Meade, Perkins, Lawrence, Pennington, Custer, Corson, Dewey, Ziebach, Harding, Jackson, Mellette, Fall River, Shannon and Haakon as well as the Oglala Sioux and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribes.